Pirates!

When you think of Centcom or the War on Terror, you probably think of soldiers patrolling a poor neighborhood or a helicopter winding through an Afghan valley. Another aspect of terror often escapes our attention--pirates!

Pirates get a pretty good image in our culture: Johnny Depp, Larry the Cucumber, and countless sports mascots (see here, here, here, here, and here).

Real-life modern pirates exist and ruthlessly exploit shipping of all sizes. Small-time to well-equipped pirates attack everything from yachts and fishing boats to full-size ocean freighters.

They operate in many areas around the world like off the coasts of Somalia and Indonesia. I linked several articles about different aspects of modern world piracy. Read a little about it. Just click on the title to go to the article.

#1. High-tech pirates are no romantic figures (CNN, 29 April 2008)

#2. UN says arms illegally going to Somalia (AP, 23 May 2008)

#3. Official: Somali pirates release UAE-owned ship (AP, 23 May 2008)

#4. Yo ho ho, these pirates might kill ya’ (Alton [Ill.] Telegraph, 12 May 2008)

#5. Pirate Whack-a-Mole on the High Sea (New York Times, 15 April 2008)

HF1